Small IP KVM? Want to remotely manage two servers prior to OS install.

[Richard_41]

I am setting up one, maybe two, rack mount servers in my brothers small business that I want to remotely manage. This trick is I want to be able to manage it before an OS is installed. . Once these two PCs have an OS there are a ton of remote management or remote desktop tools I can use but I am looking for a solution that would allow me to remote in prior to software being installed so I can do OS remotely.

The one server(asterisk telephone pbx system) would be an Intel Atom(most likely a supermicro) running linux. the other would be a windows 7 system running his camera software.

I guess I am looking for a small IP KVM? I know Intel makes some i5 and i7 cpus that support remoting in at the bios level. This is part of this vPro systems. But I dont think they support this in atom.

Is there a small piece of hardware that I can plug in to video (vga or hdmi) and a USB and remotely control it? Is there something else I should be looking at?

 

[Alabalcho]

Search for "KVM over IP". Heat-shield your brother' wallet, because there will be a burn hole.
It would be cheaper for you to set these servers at your place, and them ship them to their final destination.

 

[bill001g]

This is the difference between a actual server and a machine that happens to run say windows server OS or any other device people like to call a server. The large manufactures of data center servers solved this issue years ago by embedding small KVM like devices called ILO. It is trivial to configure these remotely.

As you suspect you will need a high dollar KVM type of device. The main issue is they tend to get in the way once you are fully operational unless this is a true server you never directly access using a real monitor. People tend to plug the monitor directly into the pc and unplug the KVM because of the hassle of dealing with it all the time.

 

[kanewolf]

IPMI is the generic term for iLO (HP term). Look for motherboards that have IPMI dedicated ethernet ports. Those are intended as server (lights out) motherboards. With IPMI configured you can have connectivity just like a keyboard was physically plugged into the host.

 

[Alabalcho]

.... so it may turn out a "mid-range" IMPI-enabled motherboard, with a hypervisor running the two OSes, can be the way to go.

 

[Richard_41]

Search for "KVM over IP". Heat-shield your brother' wallet, because there will be a burn hole.
It would be cheaper for you to set these servers at your place, and them ship them to their final destination.

Thst was my concern. Most ip kvm setups that I saw were multi port and expensive. I was hoping there was a $50 poor mans version.

 

[kanewolf]

You might find something used on e-bay.

 

[Mike_31@we]

It is simply not possible. How can you remotely access a computer without installing remote control software on that remote machine, no matter if it is IP KVM or Logmein or R-HUB remote support servers?

 

[bill001g]

It is simply not possible. How can you remotely access a computer without installing remote control software on that remote machine, no matter if it is IP KVM or Logmein or R-HUB remote support servers?

Watch the dates next time this is 5yrs old